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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a dance
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ball — a great time
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. march — the month
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — a safe
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. march — the month
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com